Head of State is the highest official body, the first person in the country’s governance structure, the bearer of executive power, the guarantor of the constitution, sovereignty, freedoms and rights of citizens. In most countries, the head of state is one of the main components of the legislative and executive powers. Without the signature of such a person, the law is considered invalid. Moreover, in each country the forms, powers, legal form, competence and features of choosing the head of state may vary.
Types of heads of state
Today in the world there are two main types of top officials of government entities:
1. Individual head of state:
The peculiarity of such a ruler is that he receives his status by inheritance, that is, representatives of the reigning dynasty can rule the state. In this case, the procedure for the transfer of power is determined at the legislative level or based on the customs of the people. In some countries, such heads of state are appointed or elected;
- the president. In this case, the first person of the country can be elected for a certain term (by the government, the people).
2. Collegial government. For example, in Andorra, the role of head is assumed by two individuals - the bishop of the Spanish diocese and the president of France. In Switzerland, the head of state is the Federal Council.
Forms of heads of state
In modern practice, six main forms can be distinguished that allow certain bodies to implement the functions of the ruler of the state:
1. Monarch- one of the most ancient methods of government. Such a ruler can obtain his seat in three ways:
- by inheritance. This option is the most popular. Examples include Belgium, the Netherlands, Thailand, the UK, Japan and so on;
- to be appointed to his position or chosen by the family of elders. This form of selection is popular in countries such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia and so on;
- to be chosen other monarchs leading the subjects of the country. The only such example in world practice is Malaysia. The peculiarity of this country is that the head of state is elected by the sultans for a five-year term.
2. President. Such a head of state can be selected in three ways - by parliamentary vote, expression of the will of the people, or recommendations of a special Board. The latter are formed from local government representatives and members of the parliamentary board.
3.Collegial body. This leadership structure is elected by parliament and has a limited term of office. For example, the collegial body was considered the ruling body under the USSR, now in Cuba and in a number of other countries. Peculiarity 
collegial body - the inability to make any final decisions, therefore such a right is given to one of the representatives (usually the head of the collegial body). It is he who can sign documents, accept letters from ambassadors of other countries, conduct foreign policy activities, and so on.
4. Part-time Supreme Ruler. Here we are talking about the performance of the main functions by the head of government - the prime minister. For example, this form is popular in Germany, where there are several federal subjects (states). Moreover, each “land” has its own government and parliament.
5. Governor General. Usually. it is a representative of the British monarch. If we recall history, Great Britain previously had many colonies around the world, which are today united in the Commonwealth. Since 1950, many countries have become republics (for example, India), but they still recognize the Queen of Great Britain as their ruler. Today, out of 49 states, she is the ruler of only 17. These include Barbados, New Zealand, Canada, Australia and so on.
In turn, the general governor is not a ruler in its pure form, but a protege who performs the functions of the head of state. At the same time, the form of his government is very conditional, like the reign of the Queen herself.
6. Junta- this is a governing body that achieved the right to rule through a coup d'etat, illegally. Most often, the junta is military people who first led the movement and then elected a president (as a rule, this is the commander of the movement). Such bodies are usually the case for countries in Latin America (in 19-20), Africa, and so on. The leader of the junta assumes the main powers - the supreme commander, military commander, executive and legislative body.
7. Head of State (Head). Such original form There is a government in the Iraqi state. Here, according to the constitution, an experienced person who has appropriate training and certain personal qualities is appointed to the role of “leader”. The powers of such a manager include setting a date presidential elections and performing a number of other functions.
8. Tribal chief– such a ruler is very exotic, but in terms of his legitimacy he is no different from his colleagues described above. The tribal leader is elected by the people and heads his state. For example, the chief of Western Samoa is a ruler for life. After his death, a new president will be elected.
Power of the head of state
Depending on the type of supreme ruler and the constitution, the functions of the head of state may vary. But there are also common features:
1. In the sphere government controlled the head of state has the right to declare a state of emergency (in part of the country or throughout the entire territory), perform the functions of commander-in-chief, participate in the formation of a new government structure (most often formally), judicial authorities, make proposals for the country’s financial and credit policy, banking legislation, etc. Further. In the last two functions, the role of the head of state often comes down to raising the issue of resignation.
2. In the sphere of legislative administration, the head of state can put forward various initiatives, call regular or early elections, dissolve the lower (sometimes upper) house, and convene parliament. In addition, the supreme ruler has the right to make proposals for changes in the legislative sphere, can promulgate (authorize, publish) laws, and contact constitutional control bodies if there are doubts about the authenticity of a particular law.
It is worth highlighting right of the head of state to, which could be:
- absolute (resolute). In this case, the first person of the state has the right to categorically cancel any legislative decision. Parliament or any other governing structure is unable to overcome such a veto;
-relative (suspensive). The head of the country has the right to impose a ban on any decision, but parliament can override it with a certain number of votes;
- selective. The leader of the country is given the right to veto only some individual regulations and laws. At the same time, he must generally approve the bill.
3.In the field of foreign policy activities the head of state represents the country in the external “arena”, appoints ambassadors and other employees of diplomatic structures, conducts international negotiations, participates in the ratification of agreements and treaties (if approved by parliament), and, if necessary, declares war or peace.
4. In the sphere of domestic policy the head of state has the right to pardon, award medals (orders and other awards), restore (grant) citizenship, assign titles (titles), participate in holidays and major events (opening roads, schools, government agencies and so on).
Election of the head of state
In most countries of the world, there are two main types of leaders - the president and the monarch. Let's consider the features of their choice.
1. The President can be elected in several ways:
- by voting in parliament. Here the head of the country is elected in Albania, Turkey, Hungary, Slovakia and other countries. In order to pass the first round, the applicant must gain an absolute majority, which is very rare when there are a large number of applicants. Most often, voting rights are distributed among several main candidates. In the next round, the requirements may be less strict. For example, in Slovakia, 2/3 votes of parliament members are required to elect the head of state. There is an opinion that the president elected by parliament is “weak.” In some ways this is true. Parliament is elected by the people, and the head of state is just representatives of the authorities;
- by electoral vote. In this case, the voter votes for one of the electors. The winners gather and choose a president from representatives of various parties. With this method of election, the president can be determined before the electoral votes are counted. The head of state will be the one who has more electors. This form of choice is valid in the USA, Argentina and other countries;
- election of the supreme ruler(president) electoral commission, for example, the Federal Assembly in Germany, members of the upper and lower houses in India, the collegium of Italy (as a rule, it includes delegates of regional councils and members of the upper and lower houses);
By the vote of the people (choice by voters). This is how the president is elected in France, Mexico, Ukraine and a number of other countries. In some states, the president can be re-elected for a new term as many times as he likes (in France, Egypt). In a number of other countries, one person can be president no more than two times (USA, Germany). Also, the president is elected for two years in Argentina, but the terms of government differ there. In the first case, the head of state is elected for 6 years, and the second – for 4 years. Such restrictions were introduced specifically to exclude various manifestations of authoritarianism.
2. The monarch, as a rule, receives his power by inheritance according to one of the inheritance systems:
- salic. Here, only male representatives can occupy the throne. In this case, the eldest son has the first right to the throne. In turn, women are not allowed to sit on the board. This form of election of the head of state in Japan, Norway, Belgium. Moreover, in most countries such a monarch performs the functions of a formal ruler. The main power is in the hands of the prime minister (for example, Japan);
- Castilian. In this form of inheritance, women, on an equal basis with men, receive the right to inherit the throne if the monarch did not have sons. If the family has an eldest daughter and younger son, then preference is given to the second (Denmark, Spain, the Netherlands, Great Britain);
- Swedish. Women can inherit the throne equally with men. However, preference is not given to the male gender. So, in Sweden the king has an eldest daughter and a younger son. In the event of the departure of the head of state, the reins of government are transferred to the hands of the daughter;
- Austrian. With this form of inheritance, women can receive the throne, but only if there have been no male representatives in all generations. But this is only in theory. In practice, under the Austrian system, women have never yet occupied the throne;
- Muslim. The throne is inherited not by any specific person, but by the ruling dynasty (the whole family). At the same time, the right to choose a ruler already rests with her. This system works in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and other countries. Also, the family has the right to remove the ruler in the event of his unsuccessful activities and install another head of state from the family;
- tribal. Here the king is the leader of the tribe. At the same time, only the tribal council can determine the future heir to the throne. The latter consists of the sons of the deceased (deceased) head of state.
After inheriting the throne, the coronation ceremony takes place. If the throne goes to a minor ruler, then with the consent of one of the relatives, the regent becomes the assistant to the head of state. The latter may be approved by parliament or appointed by the government. Sometimes a small council of 2-3 people can be created.
Criteria for appointment to the position of head of state
The most stringent requirements are imposed when choosing one of the forms of an individual head of state - the president:
1. Availability of citizenship. Some countries require that a presidential candidate be a citizen of their state from birth (Colombia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Estonia, and so on). Most often, certain restrictions are established - 5, 10, 15 years of citizenship of the country.
2. Permanent residence on the territory of the state for a certain period of time before the elections. For example, in Russia, Ukraine and Azerbaijan it is 10 years, in Kazakhstan – 15, in Mongolia – 5 years.
3. Reaching a certain age(most often from 35 years and above). In Russia, Ukraine, Armenia and other countries - 35 years, in Estonia, Latvia, Greece - 40 years and so on.
4. Availability of voting rights. By the way, not all citizens of the country may have such a right. Much depends on proficiency in the state language (Ukraine, Moldova, Kazakhstan), availability of higher education (Turkey, Azerbaijan), belonging to an indigenous nation (Turkmenistan, Syria), and professing an official religion (for example, Tunisia).
TASS DOSSIER. July 13, 2016 Theresa May, who until now served as UK Home Secretary and has just been elected leader of the ruling Conservative Party, is to replace David Cameron as Prime Minister. She will become the second woman to head the British government after Margaret Thatcher (who held this post in 1979-1990). The editors of TASS-DOSSIER have prepared material on which countries women occupy senior government positions.
Read all about Brexit and its consequences in the TASS special project
Currently, 19 women are heads of state or government. Among them are two queens, nine presidents, five prime ministers and three governors general. The most women leaders are in Europe - eight, the fewest in Oceania - one. Apart from the queens, the longest serving Governor-General of Saint Lucia is Perlette Louisi (since 1997).
Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff, temporarily removed from governing the country, is the first female president in history to be impeached (she is currently awaiting a final decision in the case).
Elizabeth II has been Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland since 1952; head of the Commonwealth (the association includes 53 states, including Britain). In terms of length of stay on the throne, he ranks first among all British monarchs (64 years). Among all modern reigning persons, she is the second longest in power after King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand (66 years). Initiated numerous reforms of the British system of succession to the throne. The portrait of Elizabeth II is depicted on the banknotes of more than 30 countries. Spouse: Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. The family has four children: Charles, Prince of Wales; Princess Anne; Prince Andrew, Duke of York; Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex.
Margrethe II has been Queen of Denmark since 1972. She became the second woman on the Danish throne (her predecessor Margrethe I ruled the country in the early Middle Ages). Engaged in charitable activities. Many societies and foundations operate under her patronage, including the Royal Danish Scientific Society, the Royal Orphanage, and national associations to combat tuberculosis and cancer. In 1975, she became the first European monarch to visit the USSR. Husband: Prince Consort Henrik of Denmark. The family has two children: Crown Prince Frederik and Prince Joakim.
Angela Merkel has been Federal Chancellor of Germany since 2005, the first woman to hold this post. She was elected to the post of head of the German government three times in a row. In 2016, she topped the annual ranking of the most influential women according to the American magazine Forbes for the 11th time. Married to Joachim Sauer. The chancellor does not have his own children.
Dalia Grybauskaite has been the President of Lithuania since 2009. She is the first woman to hold this position in the history of the country, as well as the first president to be re-elected for a second term. The media called her the “Iron Lady” and compared her to Margaret Thatcher. Has a black belt in karate. Single.
Maria Louise Coleiro Preca has been the President of Malta since 2014. She became the youngest president of the republic (54 years old) and the second woman to hold this position. Married to Edgar Preca, has a daughter.
Erna Solberg has been Prime Minister of Norway since 2013. The second woman to hold this post in the country's history and the first Conservative Prime Minister since 1990. Her husband is Sindre Finnes. The family has two daughters.
Beata Szydlo has been the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of Poland since 2015. The third woman to hold this position in the history of the country. Married Edward Szydlo, two sons.
Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic has been the President of Croatia since 2015. She became the youngest president (46 years old) and the first woman to hold this position in the history of the country. Spouse - Yakov Kitarovich. The family has two children - a son and a daughter.
Park Geun-hye has been the President of the Republic of Korea since 2013, the first woman to hold this position in the country's history. Daughter of former President Park Chung-hee (1962-1979). Her role in the successes of the conservative Saenuri Party in elections at various levels earned her the nickname "Queen of Elections." Never been married, no children.
Bidhya Devi Bhandari has been the President of Nepal since 2015. She became the first female President and Supreme Commander of the state. Widow, mother of two children.
Sheikh Hasina Wazed is the second in history People's Republic Bangladeshi woman head of government (1996-2001, 2009-present). Daughter of Mujibur Rahman, the first prime minister (1972-1975) and president (1975) of the state. She survived more than 30 assassination attempts; as a result of one of them (August 21, 2004), according to various estimates, from 19 to 24 people were killed. Widow, mother of two children.
Ellen Jamal Carney Johnson - President of Liberia since 2006. The first female president in African history, the most elderly woman at the head of state or government (77 years old). The only one among the current female heads of state is the Nobel Peace Prize laureate (for her contribution to the non-violent struggle for the security and protection of women’s rights and participation in peacekeeping activities, 2011). In 2012, she was included in the list of the hundred most influential women in the world according to Forbes magazine. Divorced, has four children.
Amina Gharib-Fakim has been the President of the Republic of Mauritius since 2015. The first woman and first professor to hold this position. Doctor of Chemical Sciences, specialist in the study of the flora of the Mascarene Islands and its use in medicine and pharmacology. Author and executive editor of more than 20 monographs and about 100 scientific articles. Married to Anwar Fakim, has a son and a daughter.
Sarah Kugongelwa-Amadila has been the Prime Minister of Namibia since 2015. She became not only the first woman to hold this post, but also the youngest head of government in the history of the state (she was 47 years old when she took office).
Latin America
Marguerite Pindling has been Governor General of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas since 2014. She was married to former Prime Minister Linden Pindling (1967–1992, died 2000), during whose reign the Bahamas became an independent state (1973). Mother of four children.
Cecile La Grenade has been the Governor General of Grenada since 2013. The first woman to hold this position. By specialty - food technologist.
Perlette Louisi has been the Governor General of Saint Lucia since 1997. The first female head of state in the country's history. She made a great contribution to the development of education in Saint Lucia.
Michelle Bachelet is the first female president of Chile (2006-2010, 2014-present). She was previously Minister of Health (2000-2002) and Minister of Defense of Chile (2002-2004, the first woman to hold this position in the history of Chile and Latin America). Divorced, three children.
Hilda Hein has been President of the Marshall Islands since January 2016. She is the first woman to hold this position, as well as the first and so far only Marshallese citizen to hold a doctorate. She is actively fighting for women's rights in Oceania. Founder of the human rights group United Women of the Marshall Islands. Her election was important event for the whole of Oceania, where women's participation in political life is still limited. Married, four children.
Every relatively old country has former or current leaders who are long-lived. Some of them, despite their serious age, still manage to govern the country to this day, performing all the functions that even a young specialist may not be able to handle. In this regard, it is worth systematizing the list of the oldest heads of state in power.
Among the famous leaders in history, it is worth highlighting the king of the Goths, Germanarich, who ruled the country at the age of one hundred years. His exact date of birth is not known, but during the years of his reign he managed not only to implement a large number of seizures of nearby states, but also to expand their possessions several times. His competitor is also Pope Agathon, who died at the age of 104, losing his throne only after his death. In addition, the list of the oldest leaders includes Hetman of the Zaporozhye Sich Pyotr Kalnyshevsky; he left his post at 94 years old. Among the long-reigning heads, King Louis XIV of France stands out, having been on the throne for almost 75 years.
The oldest current ruler is Robert Mugabe, who has been president of Zimbabwe since early 1988. Known for his leadership in the Arfikan Union, a fairly significant organization in Africa. By religion, Mugabe considers himself a Catholic, but has repeatedly stated the harm of religion in society. He received higher education as a teacher in Great Britain, after which he returned to his homeland and began to engage in political activities. He is famous throughout the world for his “persecution of white farmers.” In one of his early interviews, he even stated that he was ready to demand compensation from Great Britain and the United States for the years of slavery of blacks. According to him, the times when Africans were subordinate to the British and colonists were much worse than fascism and the Jewish Holocaust. In politics, Mugabe declares his commitment to socialism through the rejection of a market economy under the IMF program. He believes that only “strict” prices for essential products can force the population to obey the laws and work. Western critics have repeatedly accused him of tyranny. Mugabe has been the oldest sitting head of state on the planet since July 24, 2014.
In second place among the longest reigning leaders is the British Queen Elizabeth II. She has been on the throne from 1952 to the present. Elizabeth II comes from the Windsor dynasty. In addition to Great Britain, she is the queen of such countries as Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Canada, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia , Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Jamaica. In addition, she leads the Anglican Church and a number of other religious organizations.
Elizabeth II is the oldest monarch in history. During her reign in Great Britain, there were a large number of turning points for the country, including the process of decolonization. During this time, there also occurred a long ethnopolitical conflict in Northern Ireland, the Falklands War, and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Elizabeth II has repeatedly been criticized due to her monarchical and radical views. Despite this, its popularity in the UK is quite high level. Under current law, Elizabeth II has virtually no rights in political matters, but the country's citizens revere her on the same level as the official president.
In third place in this ranking is the current President of Tunisia, Beji Caid Essebsi. He was born in the small town of Sidi Bou Said on the outskirts of the country into a family of ostrich farm owners. It is noteworthy that his great-grandfather Ismail Caid Essebsi, who was kidnapped by pirates in Sardinia. When the future president of Tunisia turned 18, he went with his family to Paris, where he lived for more than ten years. After that, he decided to return to his homeland and continue his parents’ business, but eventually sold the farm. With the proceeds, he returned to Europe to get another higher education. Immediately after the proclamation of Tunisia as a republic on July 25, 1957, he took the post of head of the regional government. In 1962, he took part in the capture of 26 people who were preparing a coup in Tunisia. In 1965, Essebsi was appointed head of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the republic, after which he began to actively move towards career ladder. After the first Jasmine Revolution in Tunisia, he also became the republic's ambassador to Germany. He became the country's president in 2014 after regular elections. He is currently 89 years old and remains in his position as head of state.
Today, October 13, the oldest monarch in the world, King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand, died. The son of the late Maha Vajiralongkorn became the heir to the throne of the country. Now the title of the oldest monarch in the world has passed to Elizabeth II. The Thai king died in his chambers under the supervision of doctors. According to official information, the King was hospitalized and underwent hemodialysis. The king who died today is from the Thai Chakri dynasty. Adulyadej came to the throne in 1946 after the death of his father. It is now known that the King of Thailand will be succeeded by his son. It is noteworthy that during the reign of his father, Maha Vajiralongkorn managed to distinguish himself in the Western press thanks to his exquisite and extravagant outfits.
Alexander Pevtsov
A couple of centuries ago, in many countries of the world, a situation could well have arisen in which the head of state was an infant. However, today such options are unthinkable even in those few countries where the monarchy remains.
The post of head of state most often goes to an experienced and authoritative person. And such qualities, as we know, come with age. Meanwhile, there are leaders who, for one reason or another, came to power quite early. They are today collected in our Top 10 youngest heads of state.
10. Victor Ponta
The Prime Minister of Romania was born in 1972 and was 40 years old when he assumed his current post in 2012. Ponta is a lawyer by training, and during his career he worked as a prosecutor, including in the Supreme Court of Romania.
9. Tatyana Turanskaya
This year the Prime Minister of Moldova will turn 41 years old. Despite the fact that Tatyana was born in Ukraine, she managed to work a lot and fruitfully for the benefit of the Moldavian Republic, whose government she eventually headed.
8. Arayik Harutyunyan
The Prime Minister of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic is only 39 years old. An economist by training, Harutyunyan worked in the Ministry of Economy and Finance, and also served as a branch manager of Armagrobank. The Prime Minister has been working in his current position since 2007; at the time of his appointment he was already 34 years old.
7. Joseph Muscat
The Prime Minister of Malta is 39 years old and took office in 2013. In this post, he replaced 60-year-old Lawrence Gonzi, becoming the youngest prime minister in the history of the independent Republic of Malta.
6. Andry Rajoelina
The 39-year-old politician holds the position of President of the High Transitional Administration of Madagascar. He is the head of state, who has limited rights in legislation, but not limited in the executive and judicial powers.
5. Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson
The Prime Minister of Iceland was born in 1975 and was 38 years old when he took office. Gunnlaugsson is a hereditary politician; his father was repeatedly elected to parliament. The prime minister's first step in his new post was the suspension of negotiations on Iceland's accession to the EU.
4. Atifete Yahyaga
The President of the Republic of Kosovo is 38 years old. She took up her post in 2011. This charming woman previously served as deputy chief of police with the high rank of major general.
3. Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk
Bhutan's fifth king took the throne at the age of 27 after his father's abdication in 2006. Namgyal studied at colleges in the UK and the USA, and actively participated in international forums and conferences. Until 2011, Namgyal was considered the youngest ruler in the world.
2. Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani
In June 2013, the 33-year-old became the fourth Emir of Qatar. The prince was educated in Great Britain and actively participated in the government of the country during the reign of his father. The emir devotes a lot of time to promoting sports in the country and even nominated the capital of Qatar as a candidate for hosting the Olympics.
1. Kim Jong-un
The youngest head of state is the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the North Korean Labor Party. Kim Jong Un inherited the reins of power from the deceased Kim Jong Il in December 2011 at the age of 29.
List of women holding the most powerful positions in politics. Seven of the ten current female heads of state became the first female presidents in the history of their countries, and they did so only recently.
Heads of State
Bidhya Devi Bhandari - Nepal
Nepal's first female president is only in her third year in office. Bidhya Devi was able to finish school, while girls of her generation did not have the opportunity to study. From her youth she was interested in politics. Bidhya participated in demonstrations against the king's rule, and after the overthrow of the monarchy in 2006, she was elected to a provisional parliament. That same year, a bill proposed by Bhandari was passed, according to which, for the first time in the history of Nepal, women received a quota of 33% of seats in parliament, as well as the right to inherit the property of their parents and the right for a child to inherit his mother's citizenship.
Halima Jacob - Singapore
In 2013, Halima became the first female Speaker of Parliament in Singapore's history, and in 2017, the first female President of this country. Halima received the post of head of state automatically, after all other candidates were not allowed to participate in the elections due to non-compliance with the requirements. Her career did not stop Halima Yacob from getting married and having five children.
Queen Elizabeth II - Great Britain
This woman doesn’t need a long introduction. It is enough to note that she reigns longer than any monarch in British history. At the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, we were once again convinced that Elizabeth is holding up well at 92. If you want to learn more about the life of Elizabeth and other members of the royal family, watch our selection of films.
Queen Margrethe II - Denmark
Queen Margrethe II has also been on the throne for quite a long time - 46 years. Among her ancestors are Russian princes - the granddaughter of Nicholas I, Anastasia Mikhailovna. Margrethe studied military science and was a recruit in the women's branch of the Air Squadron. Among the Queen's other hobbies is painting. In addition, together with her husband Prince Henrik, she translated several works of Simone de Beauvoir into Danish.
Dalia Grybauskaite - Lithuania
Dalia Grybauskaite was first elected president of Lithuania in 2009 - then she received 69.05% of the votes: a record number for all elections after the collapse of the USSR. In 2014, Grybauskaite was re-elected to a second term. She is the first female president in the history of Lithuania, as well as the first president elected to a second term. Dalia Grybauskaite is 62 years old, has never been married and has no children. But she has a black belt in karate.
Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca - Malta
In 2013, she joined the Maltese government as Minister for Family and Social Solidarity. A year later, the country's prime minister recommended her for the post of president, and she was confirmed in this position. Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca is the second female president in the history of Malta, but she still managed to break one record: she is the youngest president in the history of the state.
Kersti Kaljulaid - Estonia
Another first female president in the history of her country. Kersti Kaljulaid became head of state in 2016. Last year, American Forbes placed her at number 78 on its list of “100 Most Powerful Women.” Kirsty has four children: a son and daughter from her first marriage and two sons from her second.
Hilda Hein - Marshall Islands
Before becoming president, Hilda Hein was Minister of Education. It is not surprising - Hein is the first person in the Marshall Islands to receive a doctorate degree. In 2016, she became the first female president in the history of the Pacific island states. True, she was the only candidate for this post. Hilda Hein founded a women's rights group.
Pola-Mae Weeks - Trinidad and Tobago
Weeks was a lawyer and judge on the Turks and Caicos Islands Court of Appeal. In January 2018, she became the first female president in the history of Trinidad and Tobago. Like Hilda Hein, Weeks was the only candidate for head of state during the election.
Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic - Croatia
We met Kolinda Grabar at the 2018 World Cup. Photos of a woman in a sports T-shirt hugging her country's football players were very popular on the Internet. Grabar was praised for her simplicity, in particular for the fact that she flew to the championship on a regular passenger plane. Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic is the first female president of Croatia and the most popular politician in this country. She has been head of state since 2015.
Heads of government and governors general
Prime Minister Theresa May - UK
The second woman in British history to head the government. Before being elected Prime Minister, she was Minister for Women and Equalities and Home Secretary. Theresa May is in second place on the Forbes list of the most powerful women of 2017. In 2018, the magazine ranked her 14th in the overall list of the most influential people peace.
Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern - New Zealand
Jacinda became the head of the New Zealand government in October 2017. She is the youngest female prime minister in the world. Jacinda Ardenrn gave birth to a daughter in June this year. Ardern supports same-sex marriage, liberalization of abortion and wants to legislate greenhouse gas reductions to combat global warming.
Prime Minister Mia Mottley - Barbados
Mia Mottley became the first woman to head the government of Barbados. She was elected in May 2018. At 29, she was the youngest minister in the country's history - responsible for education, youth policy and culture.
Federal Chancellor Angela Merkel - Germany
It is unlikely that many of us will immediately name the president of Germany, but everyone knows the name of the first and only woman to serve as chancellor in the history of this country. Forbes named Angela Merkel the most powerful female politician in the world 12 times from 2004 to 2017. Time magazine has repeatedly included her in the list of the most influential people on the planet, and in 2015 named her the most powerful leader in Europe.
Prime Minister Katrin Jakobsdottir - Iceland
Before entering politics, she worked as a journalist and taught at a university. Catherine is a feminist and an active participant in the environmental movement.
Prime Minister Viorica Dancila - Romania
Viorica Dancila was the Deputy of the Committee on agriculture and member of the Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality. On her initiative, women candidates received a quota of 30% in elections to the Chamber of Deputies and the Senate of Romania.
Prime Minister Ana Brnabic - Serbia
Ana Brnabic never belonged to any party. In 2017, after the presidential elections, she became the first woman to head the government. In addition, she is the first in this position to openly declare her homosexual orientation.
Governor General Patsy Reddy - New Zealand
Post-feminist, vegan, equality activist Patsy Reddy became Governor General in 2016. Her appointment was hailed as New Zealand's big step towards gender equality. Patsy actively advocates for gender, ethnic, and cultural diversity in all spheres of society.
Governor General Marguerite Pindling - Bahamas
Marguerite Pindling is the widow of the first Prime Minister of the Bahamas. In 2014, she was appointed governor general of the state.
Governor General Cecile La Grenade - Grenada
Officer of the Order of the British Empire and Dame Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George. Since 2013, Cecile La Grenade has been the first woman to serve as governor general in the history of the state.
Governor General Julie Payette - Canada
Payette is an engineer, politician and astronaut. She made her first flight into space at the age of 35, the second - ten years after the first. She is a senior astronaut for the Canadian Space Agency. In July 2017, Elizabeth II appointed Julie Payette as Governor General of Canada.
Governor General Sandra Mason - Barbados
Sandra Mason is one of the ten most influential women in Barbados. Before her appointment as Governor-General in January this year, she was the first woman to serve on the country's Court of Appeal.
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